I spent the last week in bed. Strep throat sucks ass. It’s also the fastest way to clear a room.
There is no sympathy. No “can I get you anything”? No “Feel better soon.” When you tell someone you have strep their first reaction is “GET AWAY!!!”
Luckily we have antibiotics – and for that I am truly grateful!
So you don’t have to avoid me anymore 
Being sick is no fun. But to be honest, when I found out I had strep, I was somewhat relieved.
Why?
Because there was something I could DO about it. When you’re sick, it’s a relief to have answers and solutions.
The worst is when you’re suffering from something and you aren’t even aware of it.
In fact, there is a disease running rampant in the acting community.
Some know they have it. Some don’t.
But certainly we have all suffered from it at one point or another.
It’s deadly. It’s soul crushing. And it strikes at the most inopportune times.
What is it?
It’s the Disease to Please.
Do you ever find yourself trying to “get it right,” to “figure out what they want,” or considering what you “should” do? Whether it’s in your auditions, your marketing strategy, your social media posts or your in-person meetings, if you struggle to deliver what you think “they” are looking for, I think I can confidently diagnose you with the dreaded disease to please.
Falling into this trap can be a dangerous place for an actor. You stop listening to your instincts. You second guess your creativity. You remove all risk-taking from your work – whether that work be your audition preparation, your marketing material or your next tweet.
The harder you try to please “them” (we all have people in our head, both real and imagined, that we try to please) the further you stray from what draws people to you in the first place.
If you have been suffering from the disease to please, the good news is, there is something you can do about it.
Your prescription
Please YOURSELF.
Create the kind of content YOU want to see.
Write tweets that crack YOU up.
Make acting choices that make YOU feel creatively expressed and fulfilled.
Design marketing material that YOU think is cool.
The closer you stay to what makes you tick, the more fully you express that in your acting and your marketing, the more you will attract the people who want that.
Not everyone is going to like what you’ve got or need what you have.
But NO ONE needs a watered down version of what makes you awesome.
Do your thang, baby!
Sound off in the comments. What is one thing you can do this week to please yourself as a creative type?
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Erin has a rocking hot bod and personality to match. She’s my friend, teacher and I love her stuff. As creator of the Shrink Session
Actor Breakthrough Coach Leigh Cambre has put together 12 industry experts (I’m honored to say I’m one of them!) to give your insider tips to acting success. You’ll hear from casting directors, a manager, a voice over expert, marketing experts and more. It’s all happening online so no matter where you live, you can get your hands on this incredible knowledge.
